


Black Eyes, Bruises, and Bigwig

by BookGirlFan



Series: Children of Watership Down [1]
Category: Watership Down - Richard Adams
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Bullying, Gen, Mother-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-14 04:47:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7999114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookGirlFan/pseuds/BookGirlFan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some insight into Bigwig's past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Black Eyes, Bruises, and Bigwig

Bigwig stomped into the house, letting the door slam shut behind him. His mother wouldn't be home for hours yet, still at her job, which should give him time to - 

"Bigwig? Is that you?" His mother came out of the bathroom, wiping her hands on her dress. "Mr Alverez closed the shop early, he's leaving for his daughter's wedding tomorrow, so he let us go home - Bigwig! What happened to you?" She gathered him close, brushing back his hair to examine the scrape running across his cheek, and the bruising starting to appear around his eye. 

Bigwig stood still and let her examine him, before turning away with typical nine year old impatience. "It isn't a big deal, mum. Just some boys at school." 

"Yes, it is a big deal! They should not be hitting you, I don't care who they are!" She stood up and headed for the kitchen. "Tell me their names, I'm calling their parents." 

"No, don't do that!" Bigwig pulled on her sleeve, holding her back. 

She crossed her arms. "And why not? If they hit you, they should pay for it!" 

He looked down at his feet. "I hit them first." 

"Bigwig...!" 

His head shot up, eyes filled with anger. "They deserved it! They wouldn't believe you were my mum, said you weren't old enough. Then when I told them you were, they started laughing, and calling you names! They said you were-" He bit the words off in the face of his mother's flinch. "Those thick headed idiots called you names, and you don't deserve that. So I hit 'em." 

"Oh, Thayli..." She sunk to her knees on the kitchen floor, pulling him into her arms. "I've been called a lot worse, by people a lot bigger and older than those bullies." 

Bigwig scowled, eyes filling with angry tears. "That doesn't make it right. Just because someone bigger did it doesn't mean it's okay." 

His mother made a soft noise, somewhere between a sob and a laugh. "I know. Believe me, I know. But Thayli, look at me," she tilted his eyes up to met hers, "my Thayli, you can't fight them all. There will always be people out there who call names, who say terrible things. You can't fight them all. Alright, Thayli?" 

Bigwig begrudgingly nodded. Inside, though, he was thinking, " _Maybe I can't fight them all, but I can try_."


End file.
